When do RIR start laying

[Mr chicken dude]

Just out of curiosity how old will a RIR be when they start laying....

 

[Galaxiedriver]

Our's were 22 weeks Wednesday and we got our first eggs Monday this week. We have 11 RIR and 11 BR and are getting only one egg a day so far. Every morning I go out to feed and water them at about 7:00 and every day since Monday there has been one egg. We have six nests, three up and three down. There have been two laid in the upper nests and four in the lower nests. Four of the six so far have been laid in nests with golf balls. Of the six nests, three have golf balls in them. I don't know if it is the same chicken or more than one laying at this time. I have caught only one in the act so far and she was one or our RIRs.

 

[shaggy]

i've got an RIR at 28 weeks --- no eggs yet

 

[mr_shinn]

I have four Rhode Island Reds and One started laying at 24 weeks, one at 25. The other two are at 26wks and have not started yet.

 

[NellaBean]

Both of my "older" rir girls started at 19-20 weeks. They were from different age groups a couple months apart, but both started around the same age.

My two "younger" rir girls are only about 12-13 weeks old, so we will see when they start laying in the next couple months.

 

[wombat]

My RIRs have always stared at between 23 and 28 weeks.

 

[poultrypatch]

Our RIR girls are "about" 21 wks now. No eggs yet...I had predicted between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Noticed this past wk that some of them...6 in all.....are starting to develope dark red combs, wattles and the bald areas around their beady little eyes. LOL They have also grown very fluffy panties too. Very nice girls. I didn't get them until about 6 to 7 wks old.
Liz
Rochester, MA

 

[RobinZ]

I have 4 RIR's. the first one layed around 21 weeks, the other 3 were a week or two later.

 

[popcornpuppy]

I have 11 girls that are 22 weeks old. At least 6 are laying and started at 19 weeks. I think their breeding has alot to do with it. Some places (hatcheries) breed them to be egg laying machines and those are probably the ones who start laying early.

Everything I have read about the breed says they should start laying anywhere from 22 to 28 weeks of age.